2003 Alero will not start

[LuvGrnFrogz]

Hello maybe someone out there can help me. About 2 weeks ago I went out to start my car and it would not start. I had had my father do a simple check up on my car a few weeks before and he had found that the battery has some corrosion on it. He cleaned it and said it was no big deal. So back to my car not starting....I called my dad that morning and he came over and said that it was not the battery since the car was turning over. So I called a tow truck and had it towed to the dealership from which I bought it. They looked it over and came to the conclusion that it was the fuel pump. So they replace the fuel pump. And here I am 10 days later with a car that is not starting and doing the same exact thing. There are just a few things different this time. I went out to the car and started. It started and then died. So tried again and it started. I went out to eat and came back out to my car. I turned it over 3 times before it started but it did start. I then came home turned the car off and went inside for about 15 minutes. Came back out tried to start the car and well no luck. The car began to act like it was going to start this time. It gave a little cough. I gave the car a bit of gas and it acted like it was going to start. It had not done this in the previous non starts. I then got mad and went somewhere with a friend and thought i would it it one more try. This time the car would turn over but no engine sound, no cough.....just the same thing it was doing the day they changed the fuel pump. I am a little P.O.'ed about this. The car is under warranty still i am just wanting to know if anyone knows about this problem or thinks they got an idea before i have it towed and they say will its the...."spark plugs" or the "battery" and i end up having to pay for it cuz its not covered on the warranty. I apologize if this is long but i wanted to include any info that might be helpful. THANK YOU to anyone who has any suggestions.

[Bill V]

Is the "Security" light coming on (or flashing)?

If it's not a security system issue, try swapping the fuel pump relay with the AC or fog light relay. These little grey monsters have driven lots of technicians crazy with intermittent behavior!

If this fixes the problem, replace all of these old relays (forget the part number, but it ends in 72) with the updated version.

[LuvGrnFrogz]

I had my car towed this morning to the dealership. They will try to fix it once again. I am pretty sure I am just going to trade the car in for something else i have had about 7-8 problems with this car in the 6 months I have owned it. And to answer your question....the security light is not coming on. However, it did come on about a month ago and the dealership replaced the ignition switch and reset the computer. I have had several lights come on in the past 6 months. Service engine, security, low tire, and others. I thought maybe the car not starting was related to an electrical problem somewhere.

[LuvGrnFrogz]

Problem is solved. It was a fuel relay switch. $7.45 part.......$70 worth of labor though not to mention the tow. Good thing its covered under warranty, lol

[Steven_Fox]

Originally Posted by LuvGrnFrogz

Problem is solved. It was a fuel relay switch. $7.45 part.......$70 worth of labor though not to mention the tow. Good thing its covered under warranty, lol

I have a similar problem that started over the past few days. It has been extremely cold here in NJ and it takes several times to start my car. I have a 2000 Alero and am not sure where to look for the relay. I beleive it is an inexpensive investment to see if this is my problem. Any clues would help

[LuvGrnFrogz]

Well, the hassle of having the dealership fix it was enough to make me want to get rid of my car. BUT...i still have my alero. I had several things go wrong with the car that made it not start. The dealership 1st changed the fuel pump and a few other things. But after that didn't work they changed the fuel pump relay switch. It cost under $10 and you should be able to get it from any GM dealership or place that sells GM parts. I did a quick check on autozone and they don't sell it. I am pretty sure that this was the real reason my car would not start and nothing else they fixed. I hope that this helps.

[Overtime]

Originally Posted by Steven_Fox

I have a 2000 Alero and am not sure where to look for the relay. I beleive it is an inexpensive investment to see if this is my problem. Any clues would help

Generally, it is under the hood, right in front of the firewall on the passenger side near the strut. Hope this helps.

[AleroSandy]

Thank you my car starts now
ZMore [ ] AF NewbieJoined: Mar 2004Status: offline Posts: 4 07-22-2005, 02:27 PM Re: Re: I hate my alero, long story but I need help (Post #5)Quote: Originally Posted by lmulligantoday I called another dealer and they said that think that it is the chip in the key...I am not secure with that. I dont think that that is the problem and dont want to waste the money agian. I have dealt with a similar problem on my Grand Am. If the security light starts flashing on your dash, then passlock system has disabled your fuel or ignition. On the Grand Am, it’s a 10-minute wait then light will go out and you can try again. I was able to fix mine by spraying a thin cloth with electronics cleaner, wrapping cloth around key and inserting in ignition. Cloth came out black and security light has not come on again. (It has been several months). Have read where others have fixed theirs with a new ignition installed by dealer at a cost of $500. I chose the $5.00 can of cleaner.Appears ignitions must come with some type of lubricant that attracts dust and dirt eventually causing a buildup. If you can’t find a cloth thin enough for ignition, try spraying your key with electronics cleaner and inserting it several times. Report Post | IP: Logged

[brewer265]

is there a trick to removing the relay or a special tool?